Combined oil burner and air conditioning device



Nov. 5, 1935. H. ADooLEY 2,019,525

COMBINED OIL BURNER AND AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1932 2 sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 5, 1935. H. DooLEY l 2,019,525

COMBINED OIL BURNER AND AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1952 2 Shee'cS-Shee'I 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES COMBINED OIL BURNER AND AIB CONDITIONING DEVICE Harry L. Dooley, Rock Island, Ill., assignor to Modern Mfg. & Eng., Inc., Davenport, Iowa. a

corporation of Iowa Application August 25, 1932, Serial No. 630,396 1 claims. (ci. 18s-24) present invention is principally concerned withy the utilization of the draft or blast forming means of the oil burner air pump as a source l5 of supply for a quantity of air under pressure which is conducted to a separate point of employment, and in this connection the present invention also has for its purpose the provision of means for washing or otherwise conditioning the 20 air, and particularly the portion of the air blast which is diverted to the separate point of utilization. In this way, an oil burner structure is provided whichis not materially increased in number of parts, cost, or complexity, but which,

25 at the same time. secures the additional features mentioned.

One particular and important use of the present invention is the employment thereof in connection with heating plants such as warm air 30 furnaces. In such furnaces relatively large pipes areprovided in order that there shall be sumcient circulation of heated air, the circulation being usually obtained by virtue of the fact that a column of warm air is lighter than the corre- 35 sponding column of cold air.

It is in furnaces of this type that the present invention finds an important fleld of usefulness. 'I'he auxiliary or additional source of air pressure developed by the fan of the oil burner may be 40 utilized for accelerating the circulation of heated air without the expense and additional complexity of auxiliary or booster fans and the like. Moreover, by the practice of the present invention, such accelerating blasts of air are cleansed 45 and humidied before being directed into the head or bonnet of the furnace for forcing the heated air away from the furnace and into the room or rooms to be heated. Not only by washing the air blast diverted from the oil burner are 50 room conditions improved, but also the feature of humidifying the air is an extremely important one. Warm air furnaces are known to produce dry air conditions in the rooms heated, and such conditions are generally considered to be un- 55 healthful. It is, of course, well known-to supply some form ofeauxiliary humidifying means to the furnace but generally such means are either inadequate or ignored by the user altogether. By

the use of the principles of the present invention, the blast of air, which is washed and humidifed, is used not only to produce an'accelerated ilow of air throughout the room or rooms to be heated but such blast also causes the heated air directed to the rooms to be humidied so that more comfortable conditions exist in the rooms heated.

It is to be understood, however, that` the utilization of the principles of the present invention in connection with warm air furnaces and the like is only one of many possibilities of my invention. For the purpose of best illustrating my invention, however, I have described the preferred embodiment thereof and have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings as used with a warm air furnace of conventional construction.

In the drawings:

Figure lis a transverse sectional view taken through the inlet and fan housings, corresponding to a section taken along the line l-l of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 through the fan housing of the blower and showing, in particular, the detachable blast diverting means; 30

Figure 3 is a view looking downwardly into the inlet housing;

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5.is a detail perspective illustrating the grid which is adapted to be positioned'just below the nozzle spray; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the manner of supporting one end of the grid on the wall of the inlet housing. The motor of the air burner is indicated by the reference numeral 8 and is mounted upon the upper surface of the base plate I. The motor 8 drives an oil pump by means of a belt trained over a pulley I2 mounted on the shaft of the 45 motor. A tube I1 leads from the discharge side of a pressure regulator to the nozzle of the burner (see Figure 2). Suitable conductors 21 and 28 connect with the coil of an ignition transformer (not shown).

The motor 8 drives a fan 30 disposed within a fan housing 3|, the fan and housing constituting a blower of the centrifugal type. The fan 30 is provided with vanes or runners 32, as is usual in this type of construction. The exhaust M from the fan is directed through an air duct or iiue 35.

The intake air passageway for the blower is indicated by the reference numeral 40, best shown in Figure 1, and secured to the fan housing 3| adjacent the air passageway 40 is an inlet housing 4| having a vertically disposed portion 42 and a horizontally extending portion 43, the latter being secured directly to the housing 4| by cap screws 44 or any other suitable means. A screen cage 41 is mounted on a ange 48 at the upper end of the inlet housing 4| by means of screws 50 or the equivalent. The screen cage 41 is provided with reticulated material 521 which serves to prevent the entrance of objects into the inlet housing. Preferably, the openings in the screen material 52 are large enoughso that the entrance of air is not impeded. The screen cage 41 may `be of any construction, but preferably the cage is provided with a rim 55 which seats on the flange 48 and has ribs 56 extending upwardly from the rim 55 to an upper ring or flange 51 A which is suitably'connected by radiating ribs of inclined ribs or'vanes 12. 'I'he grid 10 is preferably loosely mounted within theupper part of the inlet housing, and for this purpose the housing is provided near the end 43 thereof with a pair of integrally formed lugs 15. These lugs support one end of the grid 10. The other end of the grid is provided with an arm 11 having a small laterally extended lug 18 thereon which is adapted to hook over one edge of the upper end of the inlet housing, as best shown in Fig,- ures 1 and 6. For .this purpose the inlet housing 4| is provided with a small notch 80.

`It will be noted that the ribs or vanes 12 are inclined with respect to the horizontal away from the air intake passageway 40, as best shown in Figure 1. It will also be noted that the lugs 15 and the arm 11 aiford a support for the grid which ensures that the ,sa'me will always be disposed in the inlet housing in the proper position, namely, with the vanes 12 inclined away Ifrom the air intake passageway. 'Ihe purpose of so disposing the vanes 12 s'toprevent the air' being drawn into the fan housing 3| from carrying directly with it any particle of the spray, the inclination of the vanes being such that they are positioned substantially normal to a line drawn from the outlet of the nozzle 6| to the center of the passageway 40. If,` for example, the vanes were inclined in just the opposite direction they would be, more or less, disposed edgewise with respect to the flow yof air toward the intake passageway, in which case the spray would be drawn directly into the fan housing, which is undesirable because the rapidly rotating fani30 should not be caused to come into direct contact with any soliddrops of liquid. Therefore, by inclining the'vanes ,12 as shown, the spray carried initially by the inilowing air comes into contact with and wets the inside surface of the grid strucl ture 10, whereby no drops of water or other liquid of liquid will be drawn into the Ian housing, the

present invention contemplates providing baille means for the purpose of presenting any condensed water vapor from running down the walls of the inlet housing and thereby getting into the fan housing in liquid form. Across the upper 5 partof the inlet housing and over or above the passageway 40 a horizontally disposed baille 90 is provided. This baille wall is lformecl as a trough, having for that purpose an upstanding lip 3| which terminates just short of the vertical 10 walls of the inlet housing, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4, thereby providing discharge outlets 93 by which any condensed water flowing down the walls of the inlet housing adjacent the intake passageway 40 will be directed laterally, the 15 baille 90 thereby serving as a gutter. The lugs 15 for supporting the grid are disposed just above the gutter or baille 90,

A lower baille wall 95 also is provided, but this wall is disposed vertically and serves to prevent 20 any liquid in the bottom of the inlethousing from being drawn directly into the fan housing 3|. 'Ihe baille wall 95 is not high enough tomaterially restrict the ow of air through the passageway 40 but-is high enough to prevent the in- 2 5 coming draft from bodily lifting any liquid from the lower walls of the inlet housing directly into the fan housing 3|. A drain connection 96 is provided for the lower. end of the inlet housing and serves to direct any excess liquid to a point of dis- 30 charge, such as a sewer or the like..

The operation of the structure so fardescribed is believed to be apparent from.v the description above and is substantially as follows. When the oil burner is in operation and the fan rotated to 35 create necessary blast of air, the spray nozzle 6| directs water in a diverging solid cone and almost immediately the spray comes into` contact with and thoroughly wets the grid 10. 'Ihe draft of air being drawn into the inlet housing and 40` through the passageway 40 sweeps over the wetted surface of the `grid. and vaporizes and picks up the liquid in the form of vapor and thereby becomes humidiiied.l By drawing the draft of air through aspray of liquid, such as water or the i5v` like, the air is also washed and the majority of solid impurities removed thereby, the baille means 9| and.9 5 operating as described abovein preventing any globules` of liquid from being directly drawn into the fan 30. The excess liquid 50 iows to waste through the drain 96 `and carries with itY the dirt, impurities and the like removed from the air.

Mention-has been made above, in connection with an oil burner employing washed and hu- 55; midiiied air, that a portion of the air blast may be diverted and directed to a separate point of utilization.Q In order to carry this provision into ef- Afeet, referring now more particularly to Figure 2, the lower portion of the discharge end 3|a 6()v of the fan housing is provided with a suitable aperture |00 particularly adapted to receive a casting |0| or the like detachably secured thereto. 'I'he casting |0| is adapted to be held in position over the opening |00 by screws or the like 65,

|03 and a stud bolt |04. The casting ||I| is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed branches n "i5-serving as divided outlets through which the diverted blast of air passes. Thus, where the air tube 35 constitutes one outlet for the fan or blow- 70 1 er housing, the casting |0| constitutes a second outlet. An adjustable vane or shutter III is plvotally supported by the casting |0| by means of a rock shaft one end of which projects outwardly of the housing and has secured to it a 15 being that wherein the draft is practicallyfall shut oif from the auxiliary outlets and the other limit being that in which the draft is practically all diverted through the auxiliary outlets |05. This latter feature may be of considerable importance, particularly where it may be desired to direct washed and humidiiied air to the rooms to cool the latter during the hot months, this being secured by the present invention without requiring any apparatus other than that required for heating the rooms during the winter months. Flexible tubing |20 or the equivalent may be utilized for conducting the auxiliary blast from the outlets |05 to any point desired, a set screw |2| or equivalent means being employed to secure the flexible tubing |20 in position.

It will be understood, of course, that the utilization of the conditioned auxiliary blast of air from the fan or blower of the oil burner as a means for Aaccelerating the circulation of the heated air and as a means for conditioning the same is only one possible application of the present invention. Many other applications of the principles of the present invention may be employed within the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Air conditioning means comprising a blower for creating a blast of air and including a housing having an air inlet and a fan chamber, a screen cage over said inlet, a spray supported on said cage and directed into the inlet, a grid carried by the housing and adapted to be wet by said spray, thereby presenting an extensive wetted surface to be swept over by the incoming air, means to drain any excess liquid from the inlet, and means to prevent liquid masses from entering the fan chamber oi the blower from the housing.

2. An air conditioning device comprising a blower for creating a blast of air, an inlet chamber for the blower, a screen cage supported by said chamber, nozzle means vsupported by said cage and aadpted to direct a spray into the inlet chamber to wash the entering air, means in said chamber serving as a baille to prevent the entrance of liquid intothe blower, and means for conducting said washed air to a point of utilization.

3. Air conditioning means comprising a fan and fan housing for creating a blast of air, an inlet chamber for the housing including a laterally directed air passage leading into the fan housing, a screen cage disposed over said inlet chamber, a spray carried by said cage for washing the incoming air, and baule means adjacent the upper and lower portions of said air passageway to prevent liquid from entering the fan housing.

4. An air conditioner comprising a fan and a fan housing for creating a blast of air, an inlet housing secured to the fan housing and having an air passageway leading into the latter, a spray carried by the inlet housing and having nozzle means disposed above said housing and adapted to direct a liquid spray into the inlet housing, a 5 grid carried by the latter and adapted to intercept the liquid spray, said grid including a plurality of flattened inclined fins disposed with their fiat portions facing in the general direction of the spray and adapted when wet by the spray Vto present an extensive wetted surface to the.

incoming air.

5. Air conditioning-means comprising a fan and a fan housing for creating a blast of air, a. vertically ldisposed inlet housing secured to the 15 fan housing and having a laterally directed air passageway leading into the fan housing, vertically extending baiiie means associated within the lower part 'of the inlet passageway, horizontal baille means disposed above the inlet passageway, a' screen cage carried by the inlet housing adjacent the upper end thereof, a liquid spray l supported by the screen cage and including a downwardly directed nozzle, a grid disposed in the inlet housing below the spray and provided with horizontally extending fins Alaterally inclined in a direction downwardly and away from the ian housing, said grid being adapted to intercept the liquid spray and prevent the entrance thereof directly into the fan housing, and cooperating means formed on the grid and the inlet housing for supporting the 'grid in position, said' horizontal bame means being adapted to prevent liquid on the vertical walls of the inlet housing from entering the air passageway and the lower vertical baule means serving to prevent liquid on the lower walls of the inlet housing from being drawn into the fan housing.

6. A device of theclass described including blower housing means having a horizontally ex- 40 tending inlet and a plurality of wtlets, blower means disposed therein, operating means for driving said blower means, a vertically extending inlet housing leading from .said blower inlet, nozzle means supported above said inlet housing v and adapted to direct a spray of water thereinto, a grid disposed across said inlet housing below said spray, and a plurality of baille means disposed between said grid and said blower and extending normal to each other.

'7. A device of the class described including blower housing means having a horizontally extending inlet and a plurality of outlets, blower means therein, a motor for driving said blower means, a vertically extending inlet housing lead- :S5-

each voi! said outlets.

HARRY L. DOOIEY. 66

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

.mem No. 2,019,525. November s, 193s.`

i HARRY ,L. DooLEY.

` It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, second column, line 49, claim 6, after "bldwer" insert inlet; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may Conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed ,this 10th day of December, A. D. 1935,

` (Seal) I L 'Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

